Photograph of Velma Middleton seated at a table with two women: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Velma Middleton seated at a table with two (2) women. The three (3) are seated at a table covered with a white table cloth, three (3) glasses, and three (3) purses. They are depicted from the waist up. Middleton is centrally depicted. She is wearing a white dress, white gloves, a white flower half hat, and a dark fur stole over her shoulders. She is holding her proper right hand under her chin and her proper left hand rests on the table in front of her on a black purse. The woman on the left sits with her body facing the viewer and her head turned toward Middleton. She is wearing a white collared shirt, medium toned jacket and a large white hat. She has a light toned purse on the table in front of her with medium toned gloves resting on top. The woman on the right is depicted wearing a light toned garment, a white fur stole, and a wide brimmed hat with flower embellishments on the crown. Her hands are resting on top the black purse in front of her. An inscription in pencil across the center of the back of the photograph reads, [17]. There are no inscriptions on the front of the photograph.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1935-1950
• Photograph by: Unidentified
• Subject of: Velma Middleton, American, 1917 - 1961
• Subject of: Unidentified Woman or Women
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 4 3/4 × 6 9/16 in. (12.1 × 16.7 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 5 × 6 15/16 in. (12.7 × 17.7 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Amusements
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2013.46.25.223
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.